Day by day, on the thru-hike

Hiker Melanie Radzicki McManus set out June 2 to walk the Superior Hiking Trail — its entire 310-plus miles coursing along Minnesota’s North Shore. Star Tribune photographer Brian Peterson helped document her adventure. “Wet, muddy, rocky, rooty — this trail was not going to make it easy until the very last step, and that’s OK,” McManus said on her 20th and final day at the trail's end at the U.S-Canada border. What follows is a day-by-day account of her journey — merciless but also sublime.

Start in Duluth

Compiled by Bob Timmons • Graphics by Ray Grumney and Rahul Mukherjee

traveled

16.3/320.4 MI

altitude

201 FT

Day 116.3 mi · 8 hr., 0 min.

WI-MN border → Jay Cooke State Park Grand Portage Trail

A difficult day to start a 310-mile march north: 45-degree chill and rain ALL DAY LONG. A good reminder of the importance of layers! Still, the day was softened by beautiful wildflowers and scenery.